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Increases in large-scale plant similarity driven by ancient human impacts

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Floristic homogenization — an increase in plant similarity within a given region — threatens biodiversity. By studying the taxonomic similarity of the floras of South Pacific islands over the past 5,000 years, we find that initial human settlement was probably a major driver of floristic homogenization.

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Fig. 1: Homogenizing and differentiating trends in floristic similarity.

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This is a summary of: Strandberg, N. A. et al. Floristic homogenization of South Pacific islands commenced with human arrival. Nat. Ecol. Evol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02306-3 (2024)

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Increases in large-scale plant similarity driven by ancient human impacts. Nat Ecol Evol 8, 370–371 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02321-y

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